Your first and best step would be to look at the data base of VL&D guns that Griffin & Howe has.

http://www.griffinhowe.com/research-main.cfm

This will tell you if they have the records. You can then have Bob Beach, the G&H historian, do a letter with the history of the gun.

At best they will have the ledger entries and a chain of ownership- or they may have nothing.

In either case Bob can advise of year of manufacture from the serial #. He is not in every day but does respond.

Bob does a excellent job on the VL&D or VL&A guns.

al